EDUKACJA MIĘDZYKULTUROWA 2019, nr 1 (10) ISSN 2299-4106 DOI: 10.15804/em.2019.01.12 aGata wentz Children with autism spectrum disorders in the Arab Gulf countries – the Others? Streszczenie: Autyzm jest zaburzeniem neurorozwojowym, które manifestuje się w obszarach związanych między innymi z relacjami społecznymi, komunikacją werbalną i niewerbalną. W ciągu ostatnich dziesięciu lat liczne kampanie spo- łeczne na całym świecie, także w regionie Półwyspu Arabskiego, podniosły ogólny poziom świadomości na temat tego zaburzenia zarówno wśród rodziców, jak i eks- pertów. Jednakże tradycyjne wierzenia i przekonania pozostają nadal istotnymi czynnikami, które kształtują zachowania związane z profilaktyką prozdrowotną i nastawieniem do kwestii związanych z szeroko pojętym zdrowiem psychicznym. Niniejsze opracowanie omawia znaczenie tych czynników, a także religii, na per- cepcję zaburzeń ze spektrum autyzmu w regionie państw GCC (Rady Współpracy Zatoki). Słowa kluczowe: autyzm, niepełnosprawność, GCC, Zjednoczone Emiraty Arab- skie, islam, społeczeństwo, percepcja, edukacja międzykulturowa Introduction In the last decade, there has been increased media attention to autism both globally and across the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain). This, in turn, has increased the knowledge and awareness of the condition in the Ara- bian Gulf region among both parents and professionals. The first report from the region about the prevalence of autism in the community came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and reported a weighted prevalence of 29 per 10,000 among 3-year-olds in the UAE national population. While the rate re- ported from the UAE is comparable to that observed in other countries, none of the UAE children diagnosed during the study have a prior diagnosis. All of them escaped detection by the applicable paediatric healthcare oversight protocols. Parents also did not report any worrying behaviors. 214 FORUM PEDAGOGÓW MIĘDZYKULTUROWYCH Parents and paediatricians are at the best vantage point to spot the earli- est warning signs of autism. If the disorder is detected in its infancy, early intervention programs can take full advantage of the remarkable plasticity of the brain. Thus, if the signs are detected and reported by 18 months of age, intensive treatment may help ameliorate the symptoms significantly. As the burden of reporting cases falls on parents, there is the potential for lack of willingness to report certain exhibited behaviors for various reasons. Tradi- tional beliefs have an important influence on health-related behaviors, and this has major implications on assessment and communication of health sta- tus. Religion, social perception and culture play a large role, especially when considering the diagnosis of mental health disorders. Considering the significant economic, social and health burden caused by autism, there is limited literature on autism early diagnosis and interventions in the region. There is little existing literature that relates autism to religious, cultural and social perspectives from the Gulf, since most researchers tend to focus on psychological, pedagogical or biomedical aspects. This paper addresses the issue of immaterial boundaries constructed by culturally influenced child upbringing practices, with special attention to how these practices and beliefs create attitudes towards disabilities such as autism. Background was first defined by Leo Kanner from Johns -Hop (التوحد Autism (in Arabic kins University. In 1943 he received a 33-page letter from the father of a boy named Donald, describing that the boy was happiest when alone, was oblivi- ous to his surroundings, and had a mania for spinning toys. Whenever his routine was disrupted he would exhibit temper tantrums. Donald also re- ferred to himself in the third person and repeated words and phrases spoken to him. Kanner described Donald and ten other children in a 1943 seminal paper entitled ‘Autiѕtic Diѕturbances of Affective Contact’. Clinical definitions of autism continue to evolve. The current Diagnos- tic & Statistical Manual of the American Association (DSM-V) describes autism as a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social interactions, impaired verbal and nonverbal communication and stereotyped, repetitive behaviors. The condition is part of a continuum of disorders collectively known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is classified under the general category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). As a spectrum, autism ‘blurs’ at the edges with disruptive behavior, A. WENTZ CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 215 communication disorders and intellectual disability at one end and with be- haviors now thought to be neurotypical at the other. Many researchers agree that the causes of autism are likely to be genetic, while other suspected factors are biochemical, neurological and environ- mental. The most commonly used treatments for children with autism are (1) Speech and Language Therapy, (2) iPhone/iPad applications, (3) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), (4) Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), (5) Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), (6) Occupational Therapy, (7) Holding Therapy, (8) Social Stories, (9) Equine therapy/ Therapeutic Horseback Riding, (10) Essential Fatty Acids. All of the above are legally ac- cepted and available in UAE. Previous chapters provided an overview of autism in GCC. The following sections will consider intangible boundaries shaped by religion, society and culture towards autistic individuals. Religious boundaries There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt. And whoever obeys Allah and His messenger – He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow: but whoever turns away – He will punish him with a painful punishment. Qur’an (48, 17) This chapter aims to provide a review of Islamic perspectives and Islamic philosophy on disability by examining selected texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah, referring to events from the Islamic history, and analyzing how the issue of autism is currently being addressed by the General Authority of Is- lamic Affairs and Endowments in UAE. It is often difficult to distinguish between cultural and religious practices as there is an overlap between what constitutes local cultural heritage and what could be described as religious values (Al-Aoufi et al., 2012). It does not appear that religion stands in the way of early diagnosis of au- tism. Islamic philosophy has a positive attitude towards those who are physi- cally or mentally disabled. The Qur’an and the Hadith not only refer to the existence of disabilities, but also provide principles for caring for the disabled. The term ‘disability’ does not directly appear in the Qur’an, which uses the term ‘disadvantaged people’ while referring to those with special needs (Ba- 216 FORUM PEDAGOGÓW MIĘDZYKULTUROWYCH zna & Hatab, 2005). We can also find the generic term ‘weak-minded’, which according to ‘tafsir’ (interpretation) by Ibn Ashur (1973), comprises several groups from very young children to mentally retarded and mentally ill. Qur’an stresses the rights of people with disabilities on several occasions. The rights mentioned in the Qur’an include the right to protection, social rights, right to treatment and rehabilitation, right to education, and marital rights (Al-Aoufi et al. 2012). The last has stirred controversy among Islamic scholars, which will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter. The notion of the right to protection touches upon the aspect of protec- tion of honour and respect toward disabled individuals. The Qur’anic verses emphasize that respect is a basic human right and that under-estimating oth- ers is unacceptable: ‘O you who believe, let not people ridicule [other] people; perhaps they may be better than them. (...); And do not insult one another and do not call each other offensive names.’ (49,11). As far as social rights are concerned, those who are disabled are considered as having a rightful share (Miles, 1995). There are, however, duties which can be waived or reduced on the grounds of limited performance or the lack of mental maturity (Bazna & Hatab, 2005). These duties include giving to charity or Zakat and performing religious rites and rituals such as wudu’ and ghusl. According to Islamic Law sanity is a prerequisite for the performance of all religious duties. The insane (majnun), the epileptic (masru‛), the mentally deficient (ma‛tuh) and the unconscious (maghmiyy ‛alayhi) are not expected to perform any religious duties. This means that as long as the disability persists, even if the disabled performed a certain religious rite, they will earn divine reward for it. Another important right within social rights is the right to inclu- sion. Since disabled individuals may be isolated, withdrawn and often suffer- ing from psychological problems such as depression and low self-esteem, it is highly encouraged in Islam to include disabled people in social occasions such as visits, marriages and other ceremonies. (Al-Aoufi et al., 2012). An example of such inclusion from the Sunnah is the story of the Prophet visiting Etban ibn Malik, a blind man from Ansar, in order to pray in the man’s house and con- sole him. Rights of treatment and rehabilitation from the Islamic perspective can be categorized into two main forms: preventive and remedial. Prevention according to Qur’an and Sunnah may amount to changing one’s lifestyle